Hi Hazel,

Sorry to hear of cold...something Ive been dreading as enough to cope with but so far so good touch wood,.

Getting wee bit better but defo baby steps re work and Im certainly not like SuperDave and still sleeping for Scotland.

and great your back in sun again....oh the joys of retirement huh lol
ian x

Thanks Ian I was pretty fit before I started the treatment playing football 4 times a week plus tournaments and I think its that that has helped me a lot, its just as well because Im not a very patient patient :) 

Thanks Hazel I didnt expect Ole to to trip up against Burnley but I spose 1 point is better than 0

Keep up the good work gang we are all getting there..!

Dave

Hi Laura 

i have private messaged you but totally concur with Ian pain needs managing it’s hard enough and gruelling enough treatment without suffering. 

Also mouth wise I wasn’t guvrn anything other than saline but have heard good reports on caphosol n difflam mouthwash I agree I bought the spray and it stung 

keep in tiuch

hazel

Hi Ian deffo think I got the cold as off all painkillers especially the codeine which suppresses cold apparently. Went to pharmacy over here git a saline spray use 3 times a day €6 euros and am nearly rid of it. 

Latest on gunk omg something came out if my mouth this morning that a Great Dane woukd have been proud to have hanging out if it’s mouth !

agree super Dave  keep going. 

Hazel xx

Yep we were a bit surprised  but liken you said 1 point Better than  0.

keep up the fitness I am finding ut helps niw walking 7 km a day plus my biking just got the mouth gunk to,deal,with

h x

Hi Laura I hope Mick gets some good news, tell the nurses and docs if he is struggling he shouldn’t have to put up with pain.

Dave

Hi Ian. I've just joined this forum, yet I have been following your story since December.... just a bit at a time.... eventually got to the end so it's time to say hello! My partner has just completed his 4th week of radio and chemo. Even though I've been reading about throat and neck cancer nothing prepared me for how difficult it is (and he didn't/doesn't want to read about it so I can only assume it's a shock to him too). My partner feels constantly ill from the chemo and the radio has affected his tastebuds. Everything tastes vile to him, even water (and I've bought bottled waters and various fruit squashes), he detests everything. I admire you being able to drink litres, when he's not even drinking a cup a day. It's so hard to get him to drink more and he's getting quite angry with me, he says I just don't understand. But I realise how important it is to remain hydrated and I'm sure he's probably feeling more poorly due to lack of food and drink!! He does actually have a PEG (since last week) but until yesterday he'd only had one Ensure through it at home. I can't attend the appointments but today I phoned the dietician and they're under the impression he's having 2-3 Ensure a day and more water. Apparently he had a lecture today to up the ensure as he's losing weight and dehydrated, and Monday the dietician will talk to him. This isn't easy. Fortunately he's not complaining about mouth pain, but he's really withdrawn into himself and probably not telling me everything (very down). Anyway, sorry to start on such a negative note, but that's how it is at this stage. I look forward to reading further posts and I hope that I have jollier things to report in time!  

Hi Louisabel this treatment isnt nice, I believe it’s one of the worst areas to treat with radiotherapy because theres so much going on in that area, but drinking water is a must to deal with it and eating.

I asked my doc why losing weight is such a problem, he said its because your body goes into starvation mode and it wont cope as well in that state, Iv lost a stone though..we all lose weight.

To get round strange and horrible tastes I got some swimmers nose clips so I couldnt taste anything to get food and drinks down and that really helped.

Dave

Hi Louisalbel

Am sorry to say hi in the cicumstances and hear about husbands symptoms around his treatment

As Dave says, treatment for throat cancer can be quite debilitating and its unpleasant as well as prolonged. 
The treatment itself you can cope with but the side efects can be really bad as you get hit with so many and sometimes all at once.
It is really important to drink as much water as you can. I was told by my team this is one of the best medicines during and after treatment. Its not only keeping you hydrated but its also using the throat muscles which is also important. All helps recovery process.
I cant really respond and lecture saying he should be does this and doing that because at the end of the day he is going to have to find a way somehow. I really do sympathise with him as ive constantly stuggled with weight loss and am still on Ensures and probably will get a telling off at this weeks appt.

Yout team will monitor his weight and will prtobably have to deal with as he is obviously not getting enough water and fuel in his body.. One Ensure a day is definately not enough and neither is one cup of water. At week 4 I was told by my team to drink 6 Ensures a day and am still on 4.

So i wish i could help more and if there is anything I can do then please let me know. If you want to request a friend Id be happy to chat one to one if it helps.
We are all different and react different to treatment in terms of recovery but as you can see by my thread the recovery period can sometimes be a little worse when the treatment stops.
Lets hope the Dietician can explain the benefits of more Ensures and water and at least that part is taken care of.
Its very difficult to remain positive and cheerful thoughout horrid side effects but Ive always held on to the fact its one of the most treatable and highest chances of cure albeit the worst treatment. so the odds are in his favour and light at the end of the tunnel.

Again, please let me know if I can help in anyway and I hope for both of you, that a resoluation, at least for body fuel intake, can be found asap.

Another note on water and eating - it doesnt have to be enjoyed and look upon it as medicine. Not all medicines taste great but you have to take them to help you. Its no different to food/Ensures and water. They are all vital medicines for the body during and after treatment.

kind regards
ian